When should i seek medical care for my baby's sleeping difficulties?

Baby wakes unhappy: There are several published guidelines stating a baby or child needs a certain number of hours of sleep each night for a certain age. If your infant or child is getting less than this, but wakes happy and playful each morning, do not be concerned. However, if child is fretful, grumpy, falling behind in school, or inattentive, then please bring it too the attention of your healthcare provider.

Right away:: "medical care" does include reassurance if the "difficulty" is something completely normal like night terrors or awakenings, or counseling on the best way to deal with it. In fact, for sleep disturbances, medication is the least likely solution pediatricians would advise.

You need to know : that your baby's growth, development & health are ok to maintain a consistent bedtime & routine with reading, brushing teeth or wiping out baby's mouth after the last feed, then putting him in his own bed in his own room, drowsy but awake, without a bottle or pacifier, to learn to self-calm for sleep. When everything is the same as when he fell asleep, a 6-mo.-old who night-wakes will self-calm.